


dark weather (brings us together)

by Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams



Series: The Witch and The Werewolf [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Elemental Magic, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Shapeshifting, Werewolf Eren Yeager, Werewolves, Witch Levi, Witchcraft, Witches, magic is known
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-17
Updated: 2016-06-28
Packaged: 2018-06-08 22:38:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6876823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams/pseuds/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Under the prodding of his nosey sister Isabel, Levi is convinced--re: manipulated--into finding a pet at the local shelter. A series of unfortunate events in which Levi has to question whoever the fuck said that finding one would be easy of all things has the witch far more interested in the werewolf working at said shelter than anything else.</p><p>Or: the prequel to your smile is like the sun (but baby we're drowning) and how Eren and Levi became the adorable couple they are now</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Supplies

**Author's Note:**

> After trying countless times to work on my other stories I have resorted to working on this series if only to get back into the groove of writing. I have to admit that this has been in the works for a while now, and it is already dear to my heart. Enjoy <3

_'The rain reminds me of you, because it's falling hard and I am too.'_

* * *

The market was closed, as it always was on Sundays, and as any other business usually was. Or at least, that was what the normally glowing sign at the front said.

Approaching a darkened building made of mismatched tiles, the outside a patchwork of countless shades of blues, greens, reds and everything in between, Levi was undaunted by its appearance. By an outside glance the store’s closed state was believable, however, every supernatural in the area knew that Hanji hardly ever truly closed, and that when she did it was not on Sunday's, but instead on whatever night the moon was at its full. The schedule confused humans, though Hanji was more than willing to explain if asked.

_Besides_ , the other witch had always said, grinning brightly behind her glasses. _It never brings down business. There's always another sick person looking for a herbal remedy that will actually work, or a poor sap that got pulled into the wrong crowd and needs to break a spell._

Levi hadn't been able to argue, knowing full well just how fast new problems could arise. His own request list was never low--or on rare occasions, empty--for long. Which was exactly why he was venturing out into society on a Sunday instead of relaxing at home. He'd run out of Phoenix tears and mermaid saliva and he needed those if he was going to make Isabel a leash that wouldn't snap whenever her over exuberant hellhound puppy got too excited--which was always.

Walking past the main door to slip around the side of the building, Levi muttered a cloaking spell under his breath. Free of any prying eyes, he raised a hand towards the back door, tracing a pentagram into the air before the peeling paint. He traced a second rune into the space beside it, a flick of his finger bringing the two together like clockwork. They shimmered in the air before him, before with a sharp order and a flash of eyes full of shimmering blue, the surface of the door rippled like water, the runes vanishing into the surface. Hanji's wards were always up, especially on 'closed days', though one could usually get in by simply knocking on the door. Magic was a common knowledge now, as opposed to the days when supernaturals were hunted down for being different and killed. However, there were always those that got too curious for their own good, and wanted to explore--or god forbid, steal--that which was far more dangerous than they could handle. That was why Levi was slipping through the back door instead of the front, entering directly into Hanji's store of magical items as opposed to her tamer human set up at the front.

The large room was empty from what he could see, the variety of shelves lining the room in long lines much like a library blocking out most of his vision. Above him hung herbs and trinkets, as well as the odd creature. The truly dangerous were kept in a room at the very back, the door locked with countless charms and wards that only Hanji herself could open. As a rule Levi stayed away from anything involving animals so he rarely, if ever, ventured back there. His specialty was potions and spell work, not beast taming. He left that to the shapeshifters and werewolves.

Speaking of which... "Levi!" A voice called from above, barely giving him time to look up before its owner was leaping down from the bookshelves and into his arms.

Righting himself quickly, Levi let out a soft huff of annoyance. He stared down at the ball of fur peering up at him. "Petra, you know I hate it when you do that. Your fur takes forever to come out."

She grinned as much as a fox could grin, her nose twitching with pleasure. "Which is exactly why I do it."

He rolled his eyes, tweaking one of her ears gently. "Where's your owner anyways? I need to pick up some stock."

Unperturbed by the term, Petra gave a very humanistic shrug of her shoulders, leaping out of his arms to land on the floor before him. Used to what came next, Levi didn't even blink at the dull sound of snapping bones, face as unimpressed as ever as what had been a fox became a women.

Stretching out with a sigh, Petra stood from her crouch, pushing the cream colored hood of her robes back from her face. Her ears perked up on either side of her head once free of the cloth, her tail swishing behind her in slow flicks. "Hanji is working on a project right now, but I'll get your things." She told him once she was done, intelligent golden eyes fixing on the witch. "What did you need?"

"Phoenix tears and mermaid saliva," Levi told her. "and a couple vials of pixie dust, werewolf fur and spider-silk on top of the usual."

"Warding potions?" She asked knowingly, turning to walk deeper into the maze of ingredients and magical artifacts.

Levi grimaced. "Unfortunately."

"You've always hated warding," Petra mused, whistling for a basket. "Why don't you just say no?"

"Wardings are a good source of income," Levi sighed, following after her as she began plucking vials and small packages from the shelves, the basket wiggling by her elbow. "I can't just cut them out. The most I can do is charge a large price and get my stress paid in full."

"I suppose that's what comes with being one of the best," Petra agreed, fangs flashing as she smiled back at him.

"Speaking of the best," Levi drawled, grabbing a ink well and putting it in the eager basket--he was running rather low now that he thought about it. "when you say 'project'--"

"I mean don't ask." Petra shook her head, ears flattening. "They’ve been in their study for hours now, working on some new concoction. They won't even eat."

"You know how potion work can go," he reminded, reacting to the worry in the shapeshifter’s voice. "It's hard to take a break. I'm sure they'll be out soon. Just stick around and make sure the idiot doesn't fall into their own cauldron and it'll be fine."

"I know," she sighed. "I just..."

"Get worried," Levi smiled faintly, touching a hand to her shoulder. "I know. If it helps, I'll go in there later if this continues and drag them out myself."

Petra chuckled, nodding her assent. "Alright. Thank you, Levi."

"You're the one looking after them," he shrugged, hooking an arm through the handle of the basket before it could shake itself and all of its ingredients into a bookshelf. "if anyone should be thanking someone it's you. Hell, the entire world should be thanking you. Hanji would've probably blown it up by now if not otherwise."

Petra laughed, beginning her walk through the shelves once more, her progress faster now that she didn’t have to keep giving calming touches to the basket currently snuggling under his arm. He was glad that Hanji had given up on giving items faces, otherwise his situation would have been far worse. "They’re not that bad."

He smirked. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

* * *

"Alright, that's it." Petra sighed, stretching her arms out as they looked over the large pile of items on the counter. "Everything on your list and more--and in all the correct quantities. Is there anything else you can think of?"

"No that's everything," Levi told her, mouth curling up into a small smile at her look of relief.

"I'll have this delivered then," she told him, lifting up a large wand of wood. She passed it over top the items, and Levi watched as the air shimmered for a second before slowly everything lifted up off the counter by a few inches. Slipping a finger down the wand she pressed into a small groove there, the action splitting a greater part of the wood into something resembling a rather large bubble wand. She used it to go over and under the items once more, the array of supplies gliding smoothly through the middle to be encased in a box of shimmering magic. Once done she converted the wand back into its original shape before placing it back into the cup holder where it came. It was all made special for her, he knew, watching as she grabbed both sides of the box to deposit everything into a neat little package. Hanji had gone to great extents to make things as easy as possible for Petra who was without magic. Making sure she didn't have to lug large orders of supplies over to the delivery portals was just one of the many things the witch had done to make her comfortable since first meeting. Petra had protested wildly at first, arguing that she didn't need special treatment, but Levi could tell that she was happy in Hanji's shop. If not she would have left.

"Alright," Petra smiled, pushing the order into the portal. "It'll be waiting for you at home. I'll tell Hanji that you stopped by."

Levi nodded, handing her a set of bills. "Thank you, Petra."

"It's my job," she shrugged, taking the money with a small smile. She fed it to the box next to her elbow, earning a pleased gulp that made Levi's nose wrinkle. "I'll walk you out okay?"

"Sure," he nodded, pushing away from the wall he'd been leaning against to stand straight. He didn't have to look to know that Petra was changing back into her fox form, well versed in how she worked. As someone who had been trapped as a fox, unable to talk or change back, she was never too comfortable being out of it for long. Most people would have thought it'd be the other way around, but then again, Petra had never been a normality.

She trotted over to his side, peering up at him with golden eyes that were far from mere animal. Levi raised an eyebrow. "How you fool the humans is beyond me."

A soft, chittering yip was his answer.


	2. A Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A concerned Isabel visits and a deal is struck.

Levi stepped back from his work with a sigh. His fingers stuck together with the residue from the spider’s silk, and pixie dust littered both his arms and the floor, but he was satisfied. Laid out on his table was a gleaming black leash. The leather was reinforced with several strengthening spells that had had to be burned into the fabric before dripping Phoenix tears in the newly made lines. The effect was a rather unique design running down the length of it, something that a human could easily disregard as normal should they so wish. The clip at the start had been made out of a combination of spider silk and mermaid saliva. After weaving the material into thick pieces, he’d dipped it into the saliva to firm. Levi had abhorred touching the substance when it was still wet, but it was too delicate of a job to use gloves on. Once the clip had been fashioned, a sprinkle of fairy dust on the drying creation had completed the entire procedure and now, hours later, the witch could finally relax knowing that it would be ready for Isabel the following morning.

He’d told her to bring over the mutt to make sure it’d work before she went off on her own with it. Her original plan had been to visit a friend with a hippogriff, something he had quickly shot down. The last thing Levi needed was to have to console some poor sap because his sister’s dog had eaten their pet. It had happened before and he refused to go through that again. Luckily, the animal back then had been a normal house cat, and was easily replaced. A hippogriff? Not so much.

Letting out another sigh, Levi stretched. His back gave a satisfying and somewhat alarming crack that let him know he’d been working for too long. He didn’t keep clocks in his study since they were detrimental for concentration, but a squint at one of the windows showed the setting sun. Considering when he’d left Hanji’s, put away all the things he’d ordered, eaten lunch and then gotten to work? Levi would say he’d been at it for about six or seven hours. Not so bad considering the time he’d nearly collapsed after nearly two days at his cauldron inventing a more efficient spell for larger protection wards. He’d blamed Hanji’s influence for that one.

Shedding his robes and sending them to the wash with a flick of his finger, Levi turned the faucet of the sink on. It was always necessary to have one handy when toying with magic, especially if you were going to be handling ingredients. With the line of work Levi was in he had found it much easier to install one into the study itself rather than track all sorts of magical properties through his house in order to get to the kitchen or bathroom sink. The pixie dust and spider silk was shed easily with the help of warm water and a bar of soap made specially for the task. Soon Levi was wiping his hands off on a towel, another crook of his finger beckoning forth a broom and a dustpan.

“Clean up this pixie crap,” he gestured, making a face at the state of his floor. “I don’t want to see a spec of it outside the bottle when you’re done.”

The broom gave as much of a bow as a broom could give, the white dust pan at its side giving a salute in turn. Levi grimaced. It was always better to clean yourself rather than use animated objects to do it, but the witch was always diligent to look over work. If anything was wrong he’d fix it, and he’d come to realize that with how busy he could get, sometimes resorting to magic was a necessary evil.

Picking up the newly made leash from the table so that the table could be cleaned, Levi hung it up on one of the many hooks lining his walls. Most of them housed dried herbs or long lines of dyed string; some even dangled crystals or protection charms just waiting for their owner to come pick them up, or to be sent out. It was a controlled chaos, one that always calmed him, despite the stress that could come from his job.

A tap on his shoulder had Levi turning, the recently animated broom waving its handle about. The dust pan stood behind it, far more composed than its companion. Levi waved a hand. “Alright, calm down.” He strode over to the table, eyeing the area around it with narrowed eyes. He was aware, distantly, of the broom awaiting eagerly for approval behind him, and when he straightened with a soft hum, he gave it. “You’ve done well.” Levi flicked his fingers. “Go back to the closet.”

Shuffling back to said closet, the broom nearly flung the dust pan back with the way it was hopping about. It reminded Levi of one too many idiots in his life and he turned away with a roll of his eyes. Why all of the objects he animated turned into over eager _puppies_ was beyond him. They’d probably follow him around all day if they could.

Shaking his head, Levi made his way out of his study, past the tall bookshelves that made up the other half of the large room and out through the door. A touch of his finger to the wooden surface left a ripple of magic that assured him that the wards were once again in place. Another glance out the window showed the first gleam of the moon, something his stomach made sure to complain about.

Grumbling to himself, the witch entered the kitchen. He always had meals prepared for occasions like this. With the darkening sky and the fact that he hadn’t eaten for a good six hours, Levi did not have the patience to wait for a meal to be cooked. Especially considering the fact that he would most certainly be up all day tomorrow catering to Isabel and her crazy mutt.

Tugging a tupperware container out of the fridge, Levi eyed the contents. It was spaghetti. If his memory served to be right he had had spaghetti a little over three days ago. Satisfied that the food was good, the witch placed it in the microwave with the lid cracked. While he waited for the telltale beep to tell him it was done he started the kettle. While tea wasn’t really an every meal type of beverage, Levi always liked to drink a cup or two after a job’s well done. It helped ease the stiffness of his muscles and settle his body down to rest. Pair that with a hot shower and he was hopeful for a good night’s sleep.

The ding of the microwave came before the whistle of the kettle, so Levi settled down with a fork to eat his dinner. Microwaved food was never as good as freshly made food, but considering the circumstances he was satisfied. His stomach now full and the kettle letting out shrill sounds of alarm, Levi heaved himself up out of his chair to switch off the stove and place his dish in the sink. Never one to burn his taste buds, no matter how much he enjoyed tea, the witch washed the fork and bowl before pouring the flavored water.

Adding a dash of sugar and stirring the contents of his mug lazily, Levi gazed up at the emerging stars. His view was blocked partially by the potted plants sitting on his window sill and dangling from hooks, but he could see them all the same. There were very few, but as he watched more and more began appearing. It was beautiful, Levi could admit that. Almost as beautiful as it made a person lonely--as anything bigger than yourself could. It was so vast and unreachable, something you could only see.

A flash of lightning in the distance shook the witch out of his thoughts just as he took a slow sip of his mug. It was enough to make him realize that he hadn’t been as in control of his emotions as he should have been. Shaking his head Levi turned away from the night sky, his mug in hand.

He was too tired--or perhaps, just enough--for contemplation such as that. It made him feel older than he really was, and with his back already aching from bending over for so long that was the last thing he needed.

Levi retired to his room.

* * *

The sun woke Levi before Isabel did. In his haste to slip into bed he’d forgotten to close the curtains, leaving slices of sunlight to find their way across his body. Thankfully, his bed was positioned just so that it stopped at his shoulders, freeing his eyes from the hell they could have been in.

Never one to linger long in bed, mere minutes after he’d awoken Levi was up and carrying out his morning rituals. He’d showered the night before, leaving him with nothing to do but to eat breakfast, brush his teeth and await his fate.

By the time Isabel showed up he was ready and waiting with the leash in hand. He’d examined it thoroughly for any flaws as he’d waited, checking to make sure that the leather hadn’t deteriorated under the Phoenix tears and that the spider's silk had solidified into a tough metal. He’d even torched it a bit with magic to make sure that it would hold before finally allowing himself to admit that he was satisfied. He did not want to go through this process all over again.

Levi felt the ripple of magic first. It tugged at the edges of his mind, leaving behind a whispering thought that he quickly dismissed. Someone had bypassed his wards, it told him. Though by the lack of true alarm and considering that they’d come through without a hitch, they were friendly. He knew it was Isabel, of course. She was the only one he was expecting, though considering the exuberance of some of his friends, she was not the only one it could be. Customers were very rarely allowed on his property. He was a private person and he didn’t appreciate humans and supernaturals alike prancing about his home and tracking mud all over the place. Instead he took the orders Hanji received and sold them through her. Most could be dealt with without a face to face meeting, but those that truly needed it were met with either at Hanji’s shop or one of the nearby coffee shops. Only when the customer’s situation was truly desperate or dire did Levi then open his home. Situations such as those were few and far in between, no matter what people thought.  

Opening his door to greet his visitor earned him what might possibly be bruised ribs as Isabel launched herself forward with a cry of greeting. Her arms wrapped around his waist, tight and restricting as she smooshed her face into the crook of his neck. They were about the same height and certainly looked little alike but what Isabel lacked in size she made up for in determination. Levi had found this trait both fond and exasperating. With what seemed to be her effort to pick him up crushing his ribs he was going with the latter.

“Stop trying to swing me around before you hurt someone!” He snapped, though his arms stayed wound around her waist.

Isabel huffed. “I can’t help it!” she complained, pulling back to shove her bangs out of her face. “I haven’t seen you in _ages_! Besides, knowing you this is the only human contact you’ve gotten in forever.”

Choosing to ignore that jab, Levi rolled his eyes. “Since when have weeks turned into ages?”

“Since you turned into a workaholic recluse who hardly ever visits,” Isabel retorted, hands gesturing frantically. “When was the last time you went out?”

“Yesterday,” Levi answered smoothly. “I visited Hanji’s shop.”

She sputtered. “You know that doesn’t count!”

Ignoring her protests, Levi peered down at the dog staring up at him, patiently waiting her turn to be greeted. “Well at least you’re better mannered than your owner.” he remarked.

That was enough to get Isabel’s attention, if only for the moment. “She is isn’t she?” the witch boasted, flashing a grin full of teeth. She patted the dog’s head. “We’ve been working on her manners.”

“You’re succeeding, surprisingly. Though with all your bad examples it truly is a miracle,” Levi smirked, turning back into the house. He ignored his sister’s sputtering in favor of talking over her. “Come along then. Let’s see if we can help to carry that behavior over to when she’s leashed.”

“You always act like you hate it when I bring her over,” Isabel was grumbling as she followed after him. The pitter patter of claws against the wood came right after and Levi wondered just how much fur he’d end up having to clean up. “but you have no problem using her to change the subject.”

They rounded the corner, coming into the kitchen where the leash sat innocently on the table. “I don’t know what you mean,” Levi shrugged. “the entire purpose of today was for the leash.” His eyes narrowed. “Or was it?”

Isabel made a face. “Well…”

“Isabel,” he said, voice stern this time.

“Okay, okay,” she held up her hands. “you got me. Farlan wanted me to invite you over sometime. We recently met this really nice nymph who I think you’d really--”

“Isabel,” Levi groaned, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. “everytime I see you you try and set me up with someone and you know what happens? It ends badly. Every time.”

“But if you just--”

“No.”

“But _Levi--_!”

“Absolutely not.”

“Please can you--”

“I said no, Isabel!” He finally snapped. Outside the clouds marring the sky suddenly fled from their lazy trails, leaving the sky empty. The sun blazed with a sudden heat, bathing the earth with a bright light.

Isabel stared at him, looking hurt. “I just want you to be happy. I don’t like the fact that you’re all alone out here, especially when you can get so involved in your work. Would it hurt you to get a companion? Even if it was an animal?”

Levi sighed, suddenly far more tired than when he’d woken up. “Will that make you happy?” he asked. “Will you finally stop trying to set me up?”

She nodded vigorously. “Yes! Just as long as you have _something_.”

“I’ll go to the shelter tomorrow then,” Levi told her, tired of having the same argument. If getting a pet was what it took to get Isabel off of his back then that was what he’d do. Besides, who said it had to be high maintenance? There were all sorts of things you could get. Like a turtle. A turtle wouldn’t be so bad. All he’d have to do was clean its cage every now and then. Easy. “I’ll take a look around and if I don’t see anything I like--”

“You’ll go to Hanji,” Isabel finished excitedly. “she has tons of great stuff! Maybe you could even get a dog too--”

“I’m not getting a dog,” Levi answered flatly. Eden stared up at him from her place at the girl’s side, red eyes almost asking him to reconsider. Levi sternly reminded himself of the hell-- _ha_ \--he’d gone through in order to make sure the hellhound didn’t cause too much trouble. It wasn’t worth it, no matter how cute they looked.

“--or maybe a phoenix! You’re always using those in your spells, right? It would be like an investment!”

He sighed, reaching down to clip the leash to Eden’s collar. Seeing as her owner didn’t seem all too interested in their real purpose, he figured he might as well test it out. The dog’s tail wagged happily, head tilting to nose at his hand. Levi ruffled her ears. “Come on,” he told her, as Isabel prattled on in the background. “let’s go outside before you leave scorch marks all over my floor.” The dog panted in agreement, giving a little shake as she stood. Her sooty paws tapped against the floor, and Levi was wary of any fire. Hellhounds had a tendency to burst into fire when excited or angry, and with Eden still being so young it sometimes got the better of everyone.

“Levi!” Isabel complained, when she noticed that he’d turned away. “Are you even listening?”

The answer to that was simple. “No.”

She groaned. “I swear, you’re lucky I love you so much, otherwise you’d be--”

Levi didn’t get to hear the end of that sentence, because as soon as they made it out into his yard Eden took one look at all of the places to explore, perked her ears, and promptly burst into flame. Isabel’s laughter could be heard over his loud swears as the dog attempted to drag him where she wanted to go, barking and panting happily with little regard for the scorched trail of grass she was leaving behind.

It was a good thing Levi knew how to fix that.

* * *

In the end, the leash did end up working, and when Isabel wasn’t busy telling him about all the _wonderful_ animals he could adopt, she was gushing over its detail.

“I think this is some of your best work!” she exclaimed, fingers running reverently over the runes burned into the leather. “It’s so pretty!”

Levi frowned, more concerned with the dead grass in his yard than whether it was fashionable enough or not. If anyone saw that they’d think he’d been attempting a demon summoning. It was like he’d tried to draw a summoning circle only to scribble out the lines instead. The culprit laid at his feet contently, tail wagging and eyes closed. He was less than impressed. “You’re not fooling anyone,” he informed her, arms crossed.

Eden’s tail moved faster.

“Levi, she’s a baby. She’s barely learned to speak yet.” Isabel rolled her eyes. “She’s not _trying_ to fool anyone.”

“She’s a grass killer, that’s what she is,” Levi muttered. “and a floor dirtier to boot.”

“Yes, and everyone knows that you’re attached to your grass and floors.”

His eyes narrowed.

“Anyways, we should probably get going.” Isabel stood with a stretch, patting a hand to her pigtails as if that would make them any less disorderly. If there was one thing Levi regretted about growing up with Isabel it was not teaching her to brush her hair properly. “Eden’s probably getting hungry and Farlan’s waiting. You could always--”

“No.” Levi shook his head, voice gentle but firm. “You want me to go to the shelter tomorrow and I’m going to need all the sleep I can get in order to face that shitstorm. Tell Farlan I’ll visit another time. And to stop trying to set me up with people, no matter how many times you tell him too.”

She didn’t even bother looking sheepish. “We’re only looking out for you, big bro.” Isabel stepped forward, winding her arms around him in one last hug. “Promise me you’ll try to find a pet okay? And I mean really try.”

Levi sighed, returning the embrace. “Yeah,” he muttered. “okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> making inanimate objects animate is my new favorite practice


	3. The Human Condition

The next afternoon found Levi standing--reluctantly--in front of the nearest shelter. From what he understood it was run by a mix of werewolves and shapeshifters alike. He’d never been very invested in anything to do with animals, but as a rule he did his best to know most supernaturals in the area, if not by person, than by name and characteristics. Too many times had those with a feeling of entitlement invaded perfectly safe areas and turned them into madness. It was one of the main reasons intolerance had been so bad in the old days, and those living peacefully did their best to keep the chaos from returning. Levi didn’t know any of them personally, but he did know that Petra had a friend inside by the name of Gunther. He was a shapeshifter who’d helped her find Hanji when she’d been stuck in fox form. They’d never spoken much past formalities, but Levi knew that he was a good man. One that would most definitely tell Petra what he was doing.

Sighing heavily, the witch pushed open the door he’d been staring at for the past five minutes. Immediately the distinct scent of animal assaulted his nose and Levi just barely refrained from walking back out. It helped that as soon as he made it past the door the bright eyed girl sitting at the front desk wasted no time in calling out a greeting. Simply turning to leave would be too rude after that. Not that he’d ever cared much about politeness. 

“Afternoon,” Levi greeted, trying not to look too disgusted as he made his way to the desk.

Putting down what looked to be an appointment book of sorts, the girl flashed him a gentle smile. “Hello. What can I help you with?”

Knowing full well that Isabel would drag him back here if he didn’t at least try, Levi took the plunge. “I’m looking for a pet.”

The girl didn’t even blink. “Of course. We have an array of species to choose from. Did you have anything in mind?” 

“Nothing supernatural,” Levi offered right off the bat. He wasn’t going to end up with a Pheonix, no matter  _ what  _ Isabel said. 

Understanding washed the question out of her eyes, probably before she’d even been aware that she’d been thinking it. Magical pets were always kept separate from the ordinary and usually kept hidden from the human population lest a child get it into their head that they want a dragon of all things. It helped, however, to know whether the customer was supernatural themselves or not, a question that he had just answered. “Any other criteria?” She asked, standing from her stool. 

He shook his head as she made her way out from behind the desk. Next to him she was even shorter which was quite a feat. With how small she was he wondered how she even dealt with the more unruly animals. “Something manageable and not too much work. Nothing too big either.”

“Not a dog then,” she murmured, brushing a strand of hair behind her hair. “Maybe a cat?”

Levi shrugged. “We’ll see.”

“Right,” she smiled again, this one brightened by determination. “I’m Krista by the way. Please follow me. I’ll show you to the kennels.”

A run down from Krista told him that there were two employees on the job at the moment, both werewolves. From what he understood they were busy making sure everyone was fed and walked in the dog’s cases. He didn’t see anyone as they walked down past a hallway, out into a fenced in field and through another enclosed building, but he certainly heard plenty. The sound of dogs barking filled the air, the occasional screech of a bird or the call of another, larger animal filling the silence. It was both peaceful and annoying, and Levi was relieved when he was left behind in a maze of cages and cats. 

“I’ll leave you to browse a bit on your own,” Krista told him. “Eren should be in here soon, so if you have any questions you can call for him. I need to get back to the desk in case the phone rings but feel free to come get me if you find anything you like. Also,” she added brightly. “good luck!”

With that, Levi was left to himself, a dozen or so pairs of eyes focused on his person. He sighed. This was all Isabel’s fault. Her and her insistence that he needed a companion. He’d been on his own for almost two hundred years now and was quite alright, thank you. She acted as if it was a crime to prefer peace and quiet over a relationship. 

“What good is an animal going to do, anyways?” He muttered, stalking deeper into the stacks of cages. He felt a bit of pity warm his heart when some of the cats pawed at the bars, meowing pathetically. Levi told himself it was just a side effect of the itchiness of his eyes.

Cage after cage left Levi even more unimpressed than ever and feeling progressively worse by the minute. His eyes were starting to water now and his chest was tight, as if constricted by a vice. It made him grimace and rub at his skin through his skirt. This was a bad idea after all. He shouldn’t have humored Isabel in the first place. She’d only be even more insufferable now if he told her he’d left empty handed-- 

“Excuse me?” A voice called from behind. “Are you looking for someone?”

Levi turned. There was a boy staring out at him from behind a cage. He seemed to have been feeding the feline inside and slid the bolt to the door shut. Up close he was much taller than Levi, with what appeared to be tanned skin. Levi couldn’t tell what color his eyes were, or if his hair was really covering more than half of his face, because with a horrible wheeze his eyes finally gave up the fight and started leaking tears.

“Whoa,” the guy came closer, swaying back and forth as if unsure if that was really what he wanted to do. “don’t cry. I’m sorry. Do you want me to get you something or--?”

When Levi spoke it was with a horrible, raspy wheeze. “Air. Bring me--air.”

Thankfully, possibly-half-hair-face seemed to get it. A warm hand wrapped around Levi’s elbow, and he was led quickly back the way he’d came and out into the fresh air. When his eyes finally stopped blurring his vision with tears, Levi was relieved to see that mystery guy was not in fact, half a face of hair, though it was somewhat lost in just how fucking embarrassed he was. 

Above him the sun seemed torn between shining as brightly as it could and hiding behind the clouds creeping towards it.

“You good?” The taller male asked.

“Yeah,” Levi rasped, swallowing past the pressure on his throat. “Sorry.”

Mystery guy frowned. “You shouldn’t go near animals that you’re allergic too. Especially not when they affect you that badly.”

Levi stared. “Allergic?”

Green eyes stared back. “...that is what that just was right? Or do you make it a habit of visiting homeless cats and choking on tears?”

“Of course not,” he snorted, rubbing at his itching eyes. “I’ve just never been allergic to anything before.”

“Congratulations then,” the brunette grinned, holding out a hand. “I’m Eren. You should probably go take some medicine now.”

* * *

When Hanji found out they nearly fell out of their chair while laughing. Petra, who sat next to the witch fought a smile of her own, hands toying with her tail. “That’s not very nice,” she chided Hanji. “I’m sure it was a very traumatic experience.”

Levi scowled. “They’d probably still be laughing even if I was dead.”

“I’m sorry!” Hanji gasped, picking themself up off the floor. Their legs were wobbly and they clutched at their stomach as if it hurt but they were composed for the most part. “But just--only you Levi.” They burst into another fit of giggles. “Only you.”

Petra shook her head fondly, exasperation lining her face.

* * *

Isabel’s reaction wasn’t much better.

“Did you really  _ cry _ ?” 

Levi hung up. When the phone rang again he let it go several times before finally answering. “Yes?”

“...I’m sorry.” 

He scoffed. “Are you now?”

“I am!” She insisted. “I just find it hard to believe that you  _ cried _ . In front of someone else, no less. I haven’t seen you cry since we were kids.”

“It was allergies, I wasn’t crying.” Levi answered flatly. “And I’m so glad to see that even my little sister has little regard for my health.”

“You’re okay though,” Isabel told him, as if he didn’t know. “You said that--No, Eden! Stop that! Get down from the-- _ Farlan!” _

Levi winced, holding the receiver away from his ear as she yelled a few more sentences. He had no disagreements when she told him to wait a second before running off after Eden or Farlan, or both. A few minutes later she came back, breathless but quiet. 

“Sorry, about that. Eden’s big enough to reach the counter’s now and she hasn’t quite understood the word no.”

“Sounds like her owner,” Levi muttered.

“Anyway,” Isabel continued, as if he hadn’t said a thing. “I really think that this is a good thing--”

“Having an allergic reaction is a  _ good thing _ ?” 

“--now you can move on to the next animal!” 

Levi was past being surprised. “Right.”

“Also, that Eren guy sounds cute. Maybe you should try more for the guy than for the animals.” 

“I’m not going to visit a shelter just to adopt a person, Isabel.” Levi declined. “It’s not happening.”

“Whatever you say, big bro.” A voice sounded from her line, supposedly Farlan, and she called back. “I gotta go. Make sure you go back there soon, okay? Remember our deal!”

Because nearly dying for that deal apparently hadn’t been enough. He sighed. “I know.”


	4. Second Tries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’ve just never had someone like you come by before. Are you sure you want a pet?”
> 
> “No,” Levi answered truthfully. “but I have to get one.”

When he went back to the shelter, a week later, Krista was at the desk again.

“Levi!” She beamed, setting down a pen. “I didn’t know if you were going to come back.”

“I kind of didn’t have a choice,” Levi muttered, before letting out a sigh. “My sister insisted.”

Krista took that in stride, as she seemed to do most things. She’d barely blinked when Eren had brought him back to the office, red eyed and still having trouble breathing. “I’ll call Eren. We’ll stay away from the cats this time. Maybe a bird?”

Levi shrugged. “We’ll see,” he said again.

* * *

Birds… were not his thing.

“No,” Levi said flatly, turning away from the beady-eyed monstrosity staring at him from behind the cage.

“No?” Eren echoed, scratching at a parakeets belly as it nuzzled his face.

His eyes narrowed. “No.”

The other male sighed. “Alright.” He picked the bird up, tittering back at it before placing it gently back in its cage. The bird flapped its wings as if in farewell as he turned away. “You know, you’re really picky.”

“Am I supposed to apologize for that?”

“Well no,” Eren frowned, poking his fingers into the cage of the monster that’d been staring him down. It nipped at his finger, proving Levi’s theory that it was a demon in disguise correct. Eren tisked. “I’ve just never had someone like you come by before. Are you sure you want a pet?”

“No,” Levi answered truthfully. “but I have to get one.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard that one before,” Eren mused. The questioning tilt of his head brought a sigh from Levi’s lips.

“It’s my sister,” he explained. “if I get a pet she’ll stop trying to set me up on her horrendous blind dates.”

Eren winced. “Gotcha. Well,” he clapped his hands, startling the monster from its perch. “we’ve still got plenty more to see so don’t worry! You’ll find something!”

* * *

Three hours later Eren stared at Levi as if he were an alien from outer space. Levi did his best to keep the embarrassed flush from his cheeks as he scrubbed at the dirt on his jeans with a sleeve of his jacket. It’d been chilly that morning but with the way the sun was currently boring down on them he really didn’t need it.

“Levi,” Eren started slowly, back against the cage door they’d just run out of. “I’m going to ask you a question and I want you to be as honest as possible, okay?”

Levi frowned, eyeing him skeptically. “Okay.”

“Are you cursed?”

The witch rolled his eyes. “No, Eren.”

“Are you sure?” He continued, as serious as when he’d began. “Because seriously, Levi, I’ve never seen someone have this much bad luck before. It can’t possibly be just you.”

“Well thanks for telling me that I’m an oddity,” Levi muttered, giving one last half hearted swipe at his dirty knees before straightening up. “Look, I appreciate everything that you’ve done for me, but I should go. This obviously isn’t going to work out so I’ll just cut my losses. Isabel will understand. Eventually.”

“What about the blind dates?” Eren protested, following after him as he began to walk back towards the office.

“I can manage,” Levi dismissed, squinting up at the burning sun. A drop of sweat rolled down his temple. “I’ve been dealing with my sister for years now, after all.”

“But still.” The taller frowned, looking similar to a scolded puppy. Considering his werewolf genes it fit him rather well. “Are you really going to give up? Already?”

“Yes,” was his simple answer. Pulling open the main building’s door hit them both with a rush of cool air that Levi used in an effort to calm his frustration. Eren fell back as he said his goodbyes to Krista, a resigned look on his face. By the time Levi was in his car and driving home, the sun had eased and a pitter patter of light rain had started.

* * *

“So you just gave up?” Hanji asked, two days later when he came into their shop for his next line of orders. They looked curious, yet skeptical as they ransacked their desk.

Levi sighed, sitting down on the couch lining the wall. More than half of it was taken up by an array of books and paper hastily written on, leaving just enough space for his body. With the state the rest of the room was in, it would be a wonder if he got out of there by the time the sun was down.

“Hanji,” he started patiently--or as patiently as Levi could get. “I was nearly killed by cats, got stared down by a bird, was sneezed on by a bunny, strangled by a snake, and was then _chased_ by a fucking _goat_. Yes, I gave up. What else would a sane person do?”

Hanji shrugged, eyes narrowed in concentration as they took in the titles of the books now floating around them, fingers glowing as they sent each back to their proper position. “I don’t know, it just seems--you to the potions--no not you, _you--_ ” they frowned, catching a book by its spine. “ _you_ go to the creature section--unlike you, you know?”

Levi raised an eyebrow, ducking his head to avoid a diving journal. “I give up all the time. Especially when it comes to stupid, ridiculous things like finding a pet. Do I look like a pet person to you?”

“No,’” they admitted, sorting through a pile of papers. “but that doesn’t mean you aren’t one.”

He sighed. “Don’t tell me you’ve joined forces with Isabel on the idea that I need companionship?”

“It’s not that I think you _need_ it, per say,” Hanji began, sending several pens scuttling back to their cup. “it’s just that everyone gets lonely. And you’re antisocial to begin with. A pet could be good for you. There’d be no social obligations, only the feeding schedule and maybe a little grooming and bathroom time.”

“All the low maintenance animals either endanger my life or hate me,” Levi dismissed, propping his chin up on a hand. “What do you suggest I do about that?”

“Stop being so critical!” They exclaimed, as if it were obvious. “It’s not--go back to your shelf--it’s not hard to figure out! You’re limiting yourself like you do with people, trying to find the right type without looking at everything. Get out there, see what there is to offer. Then and only then, can you give up.”

“I think,” Levi began, eyes narrowed. “that you just tried to tell me to look at animals of the magical, supernatural sort. Animals that I most definitely do not want.”

“Just give it a try, Levi.” Hanji sighed, poking the drawer to their desk until it finally opened with an annoyed sort of huff. “You’ve already ruled out your other options. What more have you got to lose?”

“My dignity?” he offered. The words were drowned out by Hanji’s happy exclamation as they held up the envelope they’d been searching for. Levi had a feeling they’d known it was there all along and had just been waiting until they talked him into another bout of animal hunting. Though messy, Hanji never got complacent with work, especially not when he handled some rather important orders for that matter.

“Dignity is for losers,” the witch grinned, handing him the envelope. “let go a little and try again. That Eren guy certainly sounds like a doll--let him do his job.”

Levi sighed. “He was probably relieved to see me go. I nearly fried the place after that goat chased me.”

Hanji laughed, nudging his shoulder. “It always amuses me when people think you’re so in control. All they have to do is look up at the sky most times and your thoughts are plastered all over the place!”

“Shut up, four eyes.” He muttered, following the witch out of their office. “And don’t tell anyone that either.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Hanji waved a hand. “just go back, okay? A pet will be good for you, even if you don’t think so.”

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is[ my101fragiledreams](http://my101fragiledreams.tumblr.com/) and you can check out my [witch levi tag](http://my101fragiledreams.tumblr.com/tagged/witch%20Levi%20tag) if you want


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